9/11 first responder who testified with Jon Stewart in front of Congress admitted into hospice care: 'Still breathing, Still fighting'
An NYPD detective who sat alongside Jon Stewart and received a standing ovation after testifying in front of Congress last week in support of reauthorizing the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund has revealed that he is now in hospice care.
According to the Daily Mail, 53-year-old Luis Alvarez was one of tens of thousands of first-responders who worked at Ground Zero following the attacks on the twin towers of World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
He worked to comb rooftops for victims following the collapse of the towers, and as a direct result of his work, was diagnosed with advanced-stage colorectal cancer in 2016 and has seen his health decline significantly since then.
Alvarez's appearance in front of Congress coincided with what was supposed to be his 69th round of chemo, and he minced no words as he implored lawmakers to replenish the dwindling coffers of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund set up to cover costs of first responders, volunteers, and survivors suffering from 9/11-related illnesses.
"I should not be here with you, but you made me come," he said. "You made me come down here the day before my 69th round of chemo and I'm going to make sure that you never forget to take care of the 9/11 responders."
In an emotional Facebook post following his heartwrenching Congress testimony, Alvarez revealed that the 68 rounds of Chemo he had undergone following his diagnosis had proven to be ineffective and that he was now in hospice care.
"I’m now in hospice, because there is nothing else the doctors can do to fight the cancer," he wrote. "It had nothing to do with my trip to DC, that was just coincidence. The day after my trip I was scheduled for chemo, but the nurse noticed I was disoriented."